Heavy-duty operating equipment used on logging or other severe operating environments is used year-round and is subject to great differences in weather. In snow, mud or other difficult operating conditions, the equipment will have chains installed on the tires to assist the movement of the vehicle by allowing greater traction to be obtained. It is important to properly install the chains on the tires to ensure that the pressure is consistent and that no undue wear is caused by the chains not being tightened satisfactorily.
Previous chain tighteners have suffered from heavy weight which affects portability, lack of safe operating characteristics which have previously mandated that the operator stand quite close to the tightener and unreliable operation caused by subjecting the chain tightener to overloading and, therefore, bending or breakage.